Dedicated to the infinite joys of nail art and design: handpaint, airbrush, colored acrylics and gels.

2013 Mural Contest: Something to Squawk About

Shannon McCown of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, won our 2013 Mural Contest with her stunning avian-inspired design. This year’s entries took on a wide range of themes — and depicted them beautifully.

About the Winner:

“I did this mural in about three days,” says Shannon McCown, a supervisor at Ho’ola Spa and an educator for Nubar. “I get on a roll and it becomes like a crack addiction, I need to finish! The only reason I step away is because I have to let the layers of clear dry before I can move on. And I’m usually standing there willing those to dry faster.” The subject matter for her mural was a natural choice for McCown, who has owned and hand-raised macaws for years. A nail tech of 27 years, she’s self-taught as an artist. “Clients would come in and ask, ‘Can you do a hula dancer?’ So I would figure out how to make it work,” she says. “My goal is to ‘be a sticker’ — you know the amazing artists out there who do such unbelievable work you swear it has to be a computer-generated sticker? I want someone to look at my work and think, ‘Wow. How does she do that? It must be a sticker!’”

Note: It’s no coincidence we’re highlighting so many entries from Enid, Okla. They’re all students at the Autry Technology Center, taught by instructor Tammie Chastain. Way to go, ladies!